Cornered Dog
by YelloMarker
Summary: Jaken didn't think there would be a day that his stoic lord would be cornered by anyone. But then, he also didn't think that his lord will ever need a mate. Sesshomaru-sama is after all, prettier than any demonesses. SessxKag
1. Chapter 1

_Hi everyone!_

 _It's been awhile since I posted on FF. For those who were expecting Famous's latest chapter, I had the next chapters mostly completed and the ending planned out, but sadly am stuck in a writer's block. This one story however, was stuck in my mind and refused to be let go until I had it written out. Please R &R!_

CHAPTER 1

It's been almost 2 years since Naraku was defeated. The moment Naraku was defeated and shikon no tama destroyed the news had travelled all through out Japan. Stories of the Last Battle had been told again and again, one more outrageous than the last. The world soon returned to normal. Some would even say too soon.

Someone like Sesshomaru, for example.

The council of the West was the gathering of powerful daiyoukais ruling most of Japan. Some years ago, the council would have been discussing their strategies against Naraku, or against the uprising up in the North, or any discussion that were actually worth discussing. With no impending world destruction to worry about, the next subject of council discussion fell to trivial matters. Like Seshomaru's non-existent mate, for example.

Many would say that Sesshomaru was not patient daiyoukai despite his calm appearance. His enemies would readily attest to it, were they alive to tell the tale.

Currently, that short patience was being put to a test.

"My Sayuri is the strongest inuyoukai demoness in our tribe, surely no one can compete to her" Elder Suizei of the Black Inu Clan all but shouted.

"Ha! Surely she can't compare to our dragon tribe. My Miyako could kill a black inu in a flick." Elder Sujin of the water dragon tribe rejoined.

"And let Inu no Taishou's only heir be married to a dragon? Let's not forget about what Ryūkotsusei did to our Inu no Taishou" Elder Itoku of the Brown Inu Clan said with disdain. He was of the weakest clan in the Inu tribe, the Brown Inu Clan, and had taken the worst of the brunt on the war with Ryūkotsusei.

"Do not compare the rest of us dragons with that traitor! It is the will of Gobodo-sama (*Inukimi's title within the council) to have the West sire a strong heir"

"Sesshomaru-sama, have you not considered taking the bird tribe to your wings? Imagine what kind of alliance you may have with my daughter Fuuka"

"What about my daughter Yasuko—"

"No! My niece—"

"My sister—"

Sesshomaru thought back to when the squabble began. It was a council meeting just like any other, but for his mother off-handed comment that had started it all:

"I think it's time for dear Sesshomaru to sire an heir, don't you?"

Sesshomaru was caught off-guarded, especially after years of freedom and no one questioning his reign as Lord of the West.

"It's rather tiring fending off all these suitors… Why do you think I moved to the sky castle?", Inukimi drawled, casually flicking her painted talons.

His mother's comment, while seeming indifferent, hinted a great shift of power that was soon to unfold in the West. The councils were torn in an uproar when on the next day Inukimi officially released her position as Lady of the West, consequently dashed her suitors' hope to become the next Lord of the West.

Although the position of the Lord of the West was now indisputable, the position of the Lady of the West was wide open.

Those who supported Sesshomaru believed that producing an heir would naturally strengthen his rule.

The rest who had aimed for the position as the Lord of the West, moved their trajectory to their second best target: the position of the Lady of the West.

And that brings us back to Sesshomaru's current predicament, with the quarrel was getting more ridiculous by the minute and the offerings more diverse.

"Our dowager, Otohime, though advanced in years that she is, will become the suitable Lady of the West with her vast experience…"

"In a few years, my infant daughter Hidaka…"

"My twin daughters both…"

"SILENCE!" Sesshomaru roared.

The court hushed.

"This Sesshomaru _will_ find a mate—"

"Then who—"

Sesshomaru flicked his deadly poison, narrowly missing the Boar demons neck "—At his own discretion."

The boar elder withered.

And that put an end to it… for now. Before they began offering any females remotely related to them Sesshomaru stormed out of the room.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

Summer in Sengoku Jidai normally wasn't the most ideal to time run around. Kagome usually preferred to be in her modern house, eating watermelon while have her electric fan blow a big block of ice to keep her cool.

Normal never really applied to the Inutachi group. Despite the early demise of the hanyou named Naraku, the odd group never took a break. Now with the addition of Rin joining them as a miko-in-training, there really hadn't been any boring moment.

Currently, Rin was away to visit her guardian, and the group fell back to its usual routine.

"Kagome! Now!" Inuyasha shouted.

Kagome drew her bow string and released the reiki charged arrow.

"YES!" Kagome pumped her fist as her target paralyzed mid-flight. Her days in the Sengoku Jidai had paid off.

The youkai croaked its last pained howl before dropping a muddled bundle from its talons.

Sango, Shippo, and Kirara doved toward the bundle, only to miss it by a margin.

The bundle fell towards its demise quicker than Kagome screaming "Oh God!".

Sango hurled her giang boomerang to no avail. Shippo ran after it, but his small limbs could never catch up.

The bundle free-fallen, to everyone's terror, only to be caught at the head of one familiar golden rod.

Miroku unhooked the bundle, and from inside the bundle, something begun to wail loudly.

"Thank God he stood by" Sango sighed.

"Told you my back up plan would work" Kagome puffed proudly as she shrugged off dirts from her red and white miko garb, her choice of clothing ever since they've killed Naraku.

"Keh"

As if on cue that it was no longer in danger, the baby wailed loudly.

"Ugh…please don't cry" Miroku held the baby miserably.

Miroku's baby rearing skills never improved, even with 3 kids, and one well on its way. His wife shook her head. "3 kids, and you still don't learn. Come."

Sango took the baby with her, and Miroku sighed with relief.

Kagome watched the taijiya and the monk's interactions with interest as they walked back to the baby's father, the village elder. Despite their many fights, Sango never gave up on Miroku, and Miroku made concessions on his wandering nature.

The couple was the very picture of blissfulness as Kagome hoped Inuyasha and her will be one day.

One day, when Inuyasha is ready. Kagome would wait no matter how long it will take.

Kagome smiled and went to wrap her arms around Inuyasha's. If she saw Inuyasha's cheek reddened in embarrassment, she didn't comment on it.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

[Western Castle - Lord Sesshomaru's Study]

The Summer was particularly humid, although the Western castle, like most youkai castles, are kept cool using enchantments made from worm youkai's shell. Jaken however felt stifled for altogether different reason.

"Jaken"

"Yes Sesshomaru-sama!"

"The scrolls."

"At once!"

Seshomaru had been particularly irritable in the past few weeks, and no one could tell better than Jaken. With Inukimi stepping down, Sesshomaru had been taking on both responsibilities on his shoulders.

When previously Sesshomaru was free to roam around the land (concessions were made due to the existence of evil hanyou Naraku), now Sesshomaru hardly left the castle. If the workload wasn't enough, the council were hot on his heels, pressuring him to take a mate day and night. Jaken didn't think there would be a day that his stoic lord would be cornered by anyone.

Jaken scampered for the scrolls his master requested, knowing exactly by heart its contents. In fact, Jaken had been working on those scrolls himself: disqualifying unworthy candidates (must be all daiyoukais), sorting them by heritage, and reviewing his master's preferences.

Sesshomaru shot the kappa a dissatisfied look at the number of scrolls left as his table (not that the daiyoukai looked any different, but Jaken could tell). Jaken knew that if things were to be left as it is, he would be kicked across Japan by the end of the day. He must try to alleviate his dark moods. Jaken tried what had always worked:

"Someone as powerful as the Lord of Western Lands needs no one by his side, NO, Sesshomaru-sama is more beautiful than any demonesses—"

THWACK!

The toad woke up sometime during the sunset with a bump on his head and was startled to see there were only few scrolls were left at his master's table.

"Make arrangements for these candidates to visit."

"A-at once!"


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

[Western Castle - East Wing Pavilion]

The first candidate to be summoned was Sayuri-hime. Sayuri is the oldest daughter of Suizei of the Black Inu Clan, only second to his own White Inu clan. She claimed to be the strongest of the inuyoukai females, and naturally, the first choice he gravitated toward.

"I am very pleased to have caught your attention, Sesshomaru-sama".

Sesshomaru nodded.

He watched as Sayuri poured tea for him approvingly. Sayuri was fair, her eyes are the darkest of blacks and her dark tresses was pulled into a neat bun. She bears no marking other than the stripes on her hand, a sign of her noble heritage.

Sesshomaru gestured toward the girl sitting behind him.

"My ward, Rin."

"Nice to meet you, Sayuri-sama" Rin bowed, hiding her toothy smile from view.

"Nice to finally meet you, Rin" Sayuri acknowledged.

Sesshomaru noted her lack of hostility toward Rin, and silently approved of Sayuri.

It is merely a coincidence that he brought Rin during one of the candidate visit. He had brought Rin along from the village because she had insisted to spend more time with him. Most definitely _not_ because he wanted his new mate to approve of his ward.

"I hope Sesshomaru-sama found what he is looking for", Sayuri elegantly opened her fan just below her eye level, concealing her coy smile.

 _This one is too hungry for power_. . . _Although_ , Sesshomaru quietly assessed, _not necessarily a bad thing either._

Sesshomaru stood up as the princess bowed low.

"You will be informed of my decisions."

"Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama"

"Come Rin"

"Hai, Sesshomaru-sama" Rin skipped to follow her guardian.

Sesshomaru walked back to his study, satisfied that the whole process was rather painless. He had planned to meet Sayuri first because she _is_ his first choice, being a strong inu and of good heritage. Her father Suizei had been loyal subject to the West, and had fought alongside his father as a general. For Suizei's loyalty, he was awarded the title as one of the elders at the council. The council would have nothing to object of the mating.

Yes, Sesshomaru internally decided, Sayuri would make a good mate and would produce strong heirs.

Although he had made his decisions internally, the demonesses _had_ been summoned. Sesshomaru was not one to break his promises. He would meet these demonesses, each he would justly assess.

"Jaken"

The kappa jumped out of his sleep ridden haze.

"H-hai"

"Who is to be summoned next?"

Jaken quickly scrambled for the scrolls.

"It is Miyako-hime, milord."

"Hn"


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

—-

[Inuyasha's Village]

The group had secured the village elder's baby from the bird youkai. With their task completed, all was well with the world. The baby returned, the reward received, and their finances a little more secured.

"Nee, Inuyasha" Kagome mumbled, as she rested her head on Inuyasha's shoulder when they were finally alone.

"Hm?"

"Do you… still think about Kikyou sometimes?"

The question caught the hanyou aback.

It had been too long since the name was mentioned, too long since she was gone.

He had held her in his arms before her death. Some days, he could still hear her trembling voice telling tales of their past as life slowly bled out of her.

She was fragile and weak, her clay body battered and her hair caked with blood but all he remembered was how beautiful she looked even then.

 _"Finally, I am now an ordinary woman."_

 _"Kikyou you were the first woman I ever loved… and still…."_

 _"This is the first time I've seen you cried, Inuyasha"_

"Inuyasha?" _God I'm so stupid_. It was not often that Inuyasha looked like he's about to cry. Kagome wished she had kept her big mouth shut. _The way things going she wants to cry too._ It's just that there was such a good mood between them the question had slipped out so easily.

 _"I.. I couln't save you Kikyou"_

 _"You came for me. That's enough"_

"Keh" Inuyasha turned his face away as he helplessly tried to push down the overwhelming memories of his last kiss to Kikyou.

"…Sometimes"

"What?" Kagome whipped her head.

"… Sometimes I think of her" Inuyasha tried to reign in his emotions and swallowed thickly "It's not easy."

"It's not," Kagome agreed. Inuyasha's past was something she had knowingly committed herself into when she had chosen to stay at Sengoku Jidai one and half year ago. It was an easy choice to make then, but going through it was more painful than they both had thought.

"I do love you Kagome. I really do. You know that, don't you?" Kagome thought that pleas sounded very strange coming from the brusque hanyou.

"I love you too. I will wait for you, you know that." Kagome forced a smile she didn't grant, and the moment she did it she realized that it had became a habit for her. She had become very good at it.

—-

[Western Castle - East Wing Pavilion]

It was afternoon, and the second candidate had been summoned to the Western Castle.

Miyako moved her fingers elegantly like she is made of water as she played the koto. Her hair was white as snow and her limbs covered in iridescent scales. Her kimono was made from finest dragon scale dust and changed color as it reflect lights.

She halted as Sesshomaru held up his hands for her to stop.

"Miyako" Sesshomaru acknowledged.

"Sssseshomaru-sssama" Miyako bowed in seiza. "To whattt doess Miyako owe thiss honor?"

"Your father had been a loyal ally to the West" Sesshomaru began "As such, Miyako you are summoned"

Miyako smiled, showing her sharp serpentine fangs. "Miyako isss glad."

Sesshomaru had to summon Miyako despite the Brown Inu's disapproval, because Miyako _was_ the strongest out of all the candidates. If he want to produce strong heirs, Miyako would be his first choice. Sesshomaru preferred pureblood inu heirs, but cannot fully dismiss inter species mating either. After all, the powerful dragon tribe did result from the inter-mating of a serpent youkai and a bird youkai.

"And thissss little pett you havve…Iss itt forr Miyako?"

Sesshomaru shifted his position to guard Rin before Miyako had even finished her sentence.

Miyako blinked.

"Miyako havve heard offf Sssessshomaru-sssama's human ssslave, Miyako did nott tthinkk itt tttrue"

Sesshomaru tensed as he smelled Rin's fear permeating the pavillion. Rin hid behind her master's pelt.

"Whatt a wee tthing.. Humansss…" hissed Miyako as the dragon made a move to stroke Rin's hairs.

Rin watched in terrors as the scaled talons closed up, her face losing all colors.

 _"What a wee thing… human girl" The wolf-looking man moved closer, his grins showing his pointed teeth._

 _"So scrawny.. do you think it will taste good?"_

"AAAAAAHHHHH!" Rin screamed, memories of claws that had killed her suddenly coming to life.

Sesshomaru' ears rang as he grabbed Miyako's wrist mid-air, effectively stopping her.

"You are dismissed."

Miyako seemed surprised, but withdrew gracefully.

"Then Miyako will retttire. Miyako thankssss milord."


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

—-

[Inuyasha's Village]

"Kagome! Come on, be reasonable here!"

"No! I'm going home and that's final!"

"Oy wench! Get back here!" Inuyasha jumped and tried grab Kagome, only to catch the tail of her skirt.

The skirt, being a flimsy short skirt that it is, flopped down to reveal an innocently pink Hello Kitty panty.

"KYAA! HENTAI!"

"SIT SIT SIT!"

"Wench—" It was all he could say before his subjugation beads shone and brought him down, down, and down.

Kagome glared at the hanyou. She used the chance to make herself look decent and ran away as fast as her legs could carry her. When she found the well, she plunged herself down. The well burst in wave of powerful magic as she was carried through time.

Her butt promptly landed on the bottom of the well, and she could smell the old wood and moss of the well house, telling that she had arrived to her shrine home.

"Inuyasha no BAKA!" Kagome screamed to the top of her lungs, knowing that the hanyou couldn't hear her on the other side of the well.

"Baka" The shikon miko muttered.

The wooden door of the well house creaked, to reveal Souta, taller now, and his voice rough signaling his puberty.

"Gosh, sis! You're so loud"

—-

[Western Castle]

Days turned to weeks, and still the West saw no signs of new Lady of the West.

"I beg your pardon Sesshomaru-sama, but have you decided yet?"

"Sesshomaru-sama, when are we to setup a mating ceremony?"

"Surely there are many demonesses who would be happy to be the Lady of the West. My daughter is waiting patiently for Sesshomaru-sama"

"Son, surely it can't be that hard to find a mate"

"Sesshomaru-sama, my daughter is recently of age and has been looking forward to join the court"

By the way his councils are pushing him one would have thought that he's looking for wench and not a mate. It hadn't been two moons since he barged out on the council, and already they were expecting him to mate the first woman he see. It was imperative that he finds a mate soon, before either of them were forced to do something drastic. That or he will turn mad.

Between the councils hot on his heels and the distinct lack of eligible demoness candidate, Sesshomaru was cornered.

He had summoned all the candidates, all that was left was making his choice.

Miyako from the Dragon tribe was ruled out due to his councils' objections (naturally, Rin's fear of Miyako does not influence his decision _at all_ ). The next eligible candidate Gou from the red inu clan is not capable of producing heirs. Tama from the wolf tribe had already been promised to another, and Akami from the Red Fox tribe would have been a good candidate, if one did not take into account her scandalous reputation. Kiriko from the Hawk tribe was also disqualified due to their tribe's recent attempt at their Northern border.

That left him with Sayuri, his first and now, only choice.

"Jaken. Summon for Sayuri to morrow."

"Yes Lord Sesshomaru."

Sesshomaru mentally braced himself for mated life. He did not have anything against Sayuri. Given time, he could probably got used to having her around. But the situation did not allow for such luxury, both for him and his mate-to-be. If he had killed the whole council back then, and even earlier, all of his mother's suitors, perhaps he wouldn't be in this damned situation.

Sesshomaru was walking back to his sleeping quarter mulling over his decision when he tensed.

He sensed a foreign presence coming from his sleeping chamber. It was not a threat, judging by the guards standing by the entrance intact. There were only 3 entities that would have dared to allow the trespass: the whole of the councils in accordance, his mother, or both. He could very easily guess which.

 _Those impudent lowlives._

As he entered the chamber, his eyes bled red as he was assaulted with the heady smell of arousal, fear, and thick perfume. A naked female inuyoukai was lounging on the bed— _his bed—_ and going by the smell, she had been touching himself.

 _They dare._

"Milord… this servant wish to serve you—"

 _They dare, all of them._

Before she finished her sentence, his claws had torn into her heart in one swift movement, killing the demoness instantly.

Blood pounded in his ears as cold white fury washed over him.

 _This Sesshomaru will not do as they bid. They shall learn._

"A-ack!" Jaken yelped as he stumbled upon the scene in front of him, a pair of red eyes staring back at the toad.

Jaken felt a gush of wind passed by him, and in an instance, Sesshomaru was gone.


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

—-

[500 years to the future]

"Mamma, I'm going back today"

"Be safe honey. Don't forget to bring the snacks!"

"Got it. Bye Mom! Bye Souta!"

Kagome filled her faithful yellow bagpack to the brim and ran to the well house, all the while thinking of words of apologies to Inuyasha.

In the first place she left Sengoku Jidai because Inuyasha had refused to kiss her, a thing that was totally fine for them to do before Kikyo. Just remembering it again made her blood boil.

It's not as if she was some tramp that need guys to kiss her. Ugh! They had been going out for one and half year for goodness sake (and that's not counting the time that she had sadly tried to replace Kikyo). She very well deserved a kiss!

Inuyasha had been putting a distance between them ever since Kikyo's death, and their relationship hadn't advanced like she thought it would. It was as if half of his heart had left him. Kagome gave him space to grieve, but a year and half later, she found him where she left him.

 _But it's not really his fault…_

She wanted to wait, but she got impatient.

"I'm sorry for forcing you, Inuyasha… I was impatient.." Kagome recited her apologies lines as she tied the rope and climbed down the well.

"I should've not asked… no, no there's nothing wrong with the kiss…" she mumbled.

At a safe distance, she jumped toward the light, and was spirited away into the past.

* * *

[500 into the Past - Goshinboku Well]

The well spit the time traveling miko out to the bottom of the well with a soft hum.

Kagome climbed up the well, irrationally feeling a twinge of disappointment that hanyou was not there to see her.

Kagome was still mulling over her words of apologies when she felt a tug at the edge of her consciousness.

 _Shit. A youkai._

Not soon after, she noticed a speck of silver getting closer rather alarmingly.

She thought of running away, but at the speed its moving at, she highly doubted she could outrun it. She withdrew her bow and arrow, only to realize seconds later that she did recognize the youkai.

"Se-sesshomaru?"

Sesshomaru gave no indication that he had heard her, but instead was staring at her like she was prey. His labored breathing and crass movements hinted Kagome that something was off with the daiyoukai. In her short acquaintance with daiyoukai, she had never seen him short of breath and nothing sort of pristine.

 _Is he hurt?_

"Is there-um-anything I can help you with?"

If he could hear her, he gave no indication of it.

In a blur of white the daiyoukai disappeared, only to reappear behind her, uncomfortably closer.

"Don't surprise me like that"

She really should have gotten used to youkais sneaking up on her.

As if it wasn't awkward enough that he so close he was practically hugging her, he started _sniffing_ her neck. Kagome stiffened, afraid that any wrong move on her part would lead to her beheading. _Awk~ward._

Kagome was too busy perfecting her impression of a statue when she felt it. A touch of something warm and wet on her nape.

 _Ohmigod ohmigod ohmigod_

Her brain short-circuited, refusing to acknowledge that Sesshomaru, Inuyasha's icicle-cold older brother, was in fact licking her. And not the doggie kind. No, no. It was almost sensual, the way he slowly dragged his wet tongue across her nape.

 _This is not real this is not real thisisnotreal thisisnotreal THISISNOTREAL,_ Kagome chanted panickly.

—

Sesshomaru's beast ran wild as he sped mindlessly killing everything on his path.

The daiyoukai had killed the inu bitch who had dared to trespass, but still his anger would not be soothed. Although his eyes were now diluted red and amber, his body was burning hot, and his veins thrumming. Something was very wrong. Sesshomaru could feel his instinct ready to jolt at the slightest triggers, heat simmering beneath his skin.

 _What did that bitch do to me?_

Before he realized it, he was already in Rin's village out habit.

He was about to kill a cowering village-man who had dared to come near him when he felt a short blast of ancient power, more powerful than anything he had ever encountered.

He flew on instinct toward the source of energy, but the aura had disappeared.

In its place was a human girl wearing strange garment. If she were wearing anything more normal he would not have recognized her, but he would be stupid not to recognize that scandalous kimono anywhere.

 _Inuyasha' s wench._

"Se-sesshomaru?"

He watched the miko blanched as he stepped closer. _She is alone._

"Is there-um-anything I can help you with?"

 _Is she the source of that power earlier? She is the only one here._

Sesshomaru inspected her closer.

"Don't surprise me like that"

He sniffed her, and her scent assaulted his senses like fine wine. _She is in heat._

The bitch he had maimed was also in heat, but smelled nothing like this. Something was tugging at the back of the daiyoukai's mind, hazy as it was. Something that was not right. There was another smell along with the inuyoukai bitch's musk when he first entered his chamber.

 _Her perfume. This Sesshomaru was drugged._

Sesshomaru gritted his teeth in anger.

The miko scent smelled heavenly, to his alarm, as he felt control slipped by his fingers one by one, leaving his instinct to take over. His fingers clenched so hard his skin bled but still his body reacted, and he wanted nothing more than to have the human wench in front of him.

—-


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

Sesshomaru was at war against himself as he tasted the miko.

The woman was right in front of him, in heat, and he was in need— _But a human!_

A daiyoukai such as he would never sink so low.

 _Yes._ His treacherous mind suddenly enticing him with a terrible idea. _A mortal human miko._ _A mere years, a small price to pay and the council will be in uproar._

In the right mind, the daiyoukai would have readily disposed such notion, but in his current state, his lower head quickly made the decision. Satisfied with his reasoning, the inuyoukai focussed his attention back on the miko in front of him. The daiyoukai smiled, the kind that would freeze hell, the smile often made its appearance seconds before some unfortunate creature's decapitation.

The miko never saw the daiyoukai's macabre grin, else she would have ran miles away.

Kagome's mind was running overdrive, trying to make sense why the human-hating Inuyasha's-jerk-of-a-brother daiyoukai would even deign to touch her normal human self. _This must be one of Naraku's doing._

 _But you killed Naraku,_ her more logical mind supplied.

 _Maybe his copies are still alive somewhere, and this *creature* has to be one of them._

Kagome was still debating on the scale of narakuness of the creature behind her when Kagome felt Sesshomaru's hand reaching under her shirt. Kagome snapped out of her stupor.

"Hold there, doggy boy!"

The hand did not stop. In fact, it became even more ambitious in the places its trying to reach. Kagome blushed.

"Stop that!" Kagome blasted with pink energy, and when she felt the hand slacked, she ran as fast as her legs could carry her.

It was not very fast.

One leap, and already Sesshomaru had her tackled beneath him. Kagome fell on her face mid-run, her breathing sharp. A pair of clawed hands on her immediate fore sight informed her the dangerous position she was in.

Already the big dog started licking the the nape of her neck again— _what is it with him and my neck,_ Kagome absurdly thought _—_ and Kagome struggled for freedom when she felt something hard behind her.

 _NONONONO_

 _Literally caught between a rock and a hard place, aren't we?_ her mind added most unwantedly.

 _No. Its not possible Sesshomaru that would want her_ that _way._

Kagome could not see the daiyoukai's face from the position she was in, but a quick recall of their encounter suggested that the daiyoukai was not in a normal state. _His eyes were red-ish and he was very quiet.. Is something wrong with him?_ When the reality sunk in, Kagome began to panic, if she wasn't already panicking before she was sure now. _If he doesn't even realize that I'm human—I need to run away!_

She thought of using her reiki, but she might be as good as dead if she couldn't get away after the attack. With great determination, she trashed her feet and hands from his limb-lock, to no avail. Her updog position prevented her from seeing her feet, but she could feel something furry holding her feet down. _Must be Moko-moko._ She made as much as movement as possible, but was no better than a caterpillar.

Strangely, there was no attempt to stop her. So concentrated was she on her struggle that she almost didn't notice the sound. When it finally registered, and she ceased moving to find out what it was. She waited but there was nothing.

 _Huh_. The miko gave herself a mental shake for getting distracted at a critical time like this. Her virginity is on the line here, and she's worried about some strange _noise_.

She propped herself up using her hands, shimmied herself out of the fur. Even stranger, the moko-moko did loosened up, and there was that noise again. It was coming from behind her.

"Miko, cease that movement."

He finally spoke. His voice was pained and rough. Kagome could literally feel her stress leaving out her body, and she relaxed. The Sesshomaru she knew had returned. This Sesshomaru wouldn't condone whatever that other Sesshomaru was trying to attempt.

She rolled herself to face her captor, and again she heard that strange noise.

"Wench" the daiyoukai gritted.

Her captor staring at her, or really, through her. His eyes were worryingly red, and his breathing was labored.

Kagome was still trying to assess the daiyoukai in front of her when her eyes caught something. Something bulging. And hard. _Hard place,_ her mind sarcastically supplied _._

It was covered by the daiyoukai's hakama, but the fact that the bulge was visible in such a loose garment was saying something about the appendage.

Suddenly everything clicked in one place. The noise was coming from the daiyoukai.

Just to test her theory, and to put herself in better position for escape just in case she rolled herself back to face the ground to her original position.

"Gh." Again the noise was heard from behind her. It was something between a grunt and a pained whine.

Kagome suddenly realized the dirty things she had done to the poor daiyoukai but stopped herself short from apologizing. After all, he had started this whole fiasco in the first place, shocking her poor maiden mind to oblivion. She had just started the first base with Inuyasha for goodness sake!

Suddenly remembering her freed legs and the daiyoukai's unpromising _situation_ , Kagome mercilessly blasted her reiki, regained her feet, and ran for the well.


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

Kagome ran and ran until her lungs almost gave out, but it was at one decisive stroke of misfortune that she tripped on a random protruding stone on her way to her freedom.

Lady Luck was never very generous with her blessing.

 _And that, my children, was the end of my virginity,_ said herself 50 something years from now, as if her life were fairytale done in poor taste. Or so she imagined.

Still she was not one to give up easily. She gathered herself together for another run when unsurprisingly the daiyoukai had caught up with her. His eyes were blazing red and his once smooth stripes were jagged, not at all a good sign for her.

Little did she know that she had pushed a button that the daiyoukai himself had never known existed by starting the chase.

The daiyoukai pinned her shoulder against the ground, effectively stopping any of her escape attempts.

"Sesshomaru!" Kagome cried in desperation, but his face did not show anything, not even recognition. "Wake up! I'm human!" She felt like talking to Inuyasha when his demon had taken over all over.

Kagome summoned her reiki at the tip of her fingers and grasped the daiyoukai's arms so he would unhand her.

It must have burned, because Kagome could see his skin sizzle. Sesshomaru bared his fangs, but did not otherwise release her.

In fact, his eyes seemed fixated on a particular spot which seemed to be the space between her shoulder and her neck. Kagome turned her head to her side, uncomfortable as it was, to figure out what it was that the daiyoukai seemed to be so interested on. Quite unfortunately, she barred her neck in the process, customarily a sign of inuyoukai females ending the chase with a sweet prize. The monster (that's what Kagome thought of him) growled, ducked in, and lapped the junction between her shoulder and her neck.

 _Great, he's got neck fettish,_ Kagome frustratedly thought.

That was until he bit it.

Kagome blanched.

"Ouch!"

 _If the daiyoukai was planning to eat her_ , Kagome thought angrily, _he was not doing a good job_. He did not move a spot from where he bit her, but did not release her either. The more Kagome tried to wrench herself free, the more his teeth tore her skin, and the more it hurts. She struggled for sometime but finally gave up from the pain.

 _At least Mikos go to heaven.._ _Mom, shouta, Inuyasha…._

It was quite a silly way to die. Having her future brother in law bit her to death… She had always thought that she would die from Naraku's attack at least heroically. Her pending death was agonizingly slow-coming, her consciousness not at all disturbed by the pain blaring on her jugular area. She decided to make the best of her time to recite more farewells.

 _Sango, Miroku, Grandpa …_

She was in the middle of thanking Buyo for being patient with her when she felt it. A cold sensation rushing right where he bit her, spreading to her whole body.

 _So that's why he didn't eat me. He uses poison,_ Kagome grimly hypothesized. _Probably won't even have anything of me left to burry._

The feeling spiraled and spiraled until it nearly knocked her out. Something behind her eyes pulsed gradually faster, like she was about to go blind. In effort to stop the pain, she shut her eyes out.

Eventually the pain abated, leaving only numbness. _What was that—_

Kagome was disoriented but could feel the daiyoukai lapping her bleeding neck once again. When the lapping went lower and most definitely not in places she could tolerate, Kagome snapped out of it. She was surprised to find the consequences of getting raped really scared her more than death.

The miko was about to blast him with the last of her reiki when the inuyoukai stopped all movements, his eyes trained on a spot behind her.

Kagome used the chance to once again surround herself with her reiki and escaped out of the daiyoukai's grasp.

She heard metals clanging behind her as the daiyoukai was engaged in a sudden sword fight but could care less in her desperation to get away. It was as she jumped through the well that she gasped. The familiar blur of red, the clang of heavy sword, the battle cries. _Inuyasha. He came!_


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

Kagome arrived back to the future, heart thumping, and mind lightheaded.

She sat on the rim of the well, her shaking fingers unconsciously smoothing over the broken skin on her neck. Her encounter with Sesshomaru felt like a bad dream, and the pain on her neck was a painful reminder that it wasn't. She dazedly walked to her house, trying to digest what had just happened.

"Mom, I'm home" Kagome gingerly removed her shoes.

"Kagome, is that you?" The matriach called from the kitchen, and quickly greeted her daughter at the door step.

"You returned early."

"Something happened." Kagome explained lamely. "I'm staying here for awhile."

Thankfully her mother did not ask for more detail, instead, she asked something worse.

"Sweetie, what's that thing on your neck?"

"This is.. um, I mean, I fell down and tore my skin"

Her mother frowned worriedly. She didn't know half the things her daughter went through in Sengoku Jidai, and if she does, any mother would now allow their daughter to risk her life daily like that.

"I'll be careful mom" Kagome replied quickly, trying to stop her from fussing over her wound.

"No, I was talking about the tattoo"

"What?" Kagome unconsciously touched her neck where he bit her. She was dismayed to feel a smooth skin instead of the tear, the spot still throbbing painfully.

"Did you got yourself one in the Sengoku Jidai?" Kagome could tell from her mother's tone that she was unhappy about the tattoo. Tattoos were often worn by the yakuzas, not exactly something a young girl like her should be sporting.

 _Tattoo? What is she talking about?_ A sense of dread filled her.

"Um yea… I got it—um—at the flea market. Sorry mom, gotta go!" Kagome dashed for the restroom, quickly locking the door behind her.

"Kagome!" Her mother said warningly against the door.

"Just a minute, mom!"

There in the mirror, she saw her neck sporting a bluish bruise instead of the raw wound she was expecting. There, sat on the spot where the bruise laid innocently, was a purple waning moon.

* * *

[Sengoku Jidai - Flashback]

Inuyasha did not know what came over Kagome. One minute she holding his hands, and the next she was a madwoman. Like table flipping mad, and he wasn't joking. After unwarranted reiki attacks and a few good sittings, she plunged to the well with markedly evil glare that told him not to go after her.

She never told him when she was going back.

Inuyasha thought back to when the mood swing really began. They were having their time alone. She was wearing her mother's kimono in the summer, and he thought she looked very beautiful. He told her as such, and Kagome shyly tucked a stray hair behind her ear. She asked him to kiss her. He froze up. And then all hell broke loose.

He didn't hate Kagome. No, far from it. It just didn't feel right to kiss Kagome when he just had been remembering Kikyo. It felt like soiling the memory of the dead, which was what he felt every time he saw Kagome overlapping with Kikyou's image. It didn't help that they look almost identical.

But it wasn't something that warranted her to be _that_ mad. She usually returned within 2 to 3 days, but it had been a week!

Every morning since her departure Inuyasha had been visiting the well to check if Kagome had returned. Today was no exception. He hunted boars and fishes to make a living, but as soon as he had caught them and sold them to the market, he ran back to the well because he couldn't chance making Kagome even more upset than she already was.

Inuyasha hastened his steps. He sensed presence of a powerful youkai. As he closed up, he began to smell his bastard of a brother and Kagome. He was about to breathe a sigh of relieve when a musky smell assaulted his nose. Between Kagome and his human-hating half brother, it really doesn't add up. He dismissed the unusual smell but paced up as the trees cleared up to show the familiar abandoned well.

The hanyou skidded to a halt as he took in the sight before him. He shouldn't have understood what was happening. He grew up an orphan, never had anyone to teach him inuyoukai rituals. But his instinct ran deeper, and his youkai blood leapt for dominance as he understood the implication of the act.

Inuyasha struggled to maintain control, and he knew better than to give in. He tightened his grip on Tetsusaiga.

"What have you done to Kagome!" Inuyasha gritted as he charged towards his half brother.

Sesshoumaru parried his brother's attacks distractedly.

In one swift motion, the older brother's left hand bled green while on his right bakusaiga swiped successfully tetsusaiga away from his brother. A bright flash was its only warning before it transformed into a rusty old sword wedged on a nearby tree.

Inuyasha was dismayed that his brother had disarmed him so quickly. A terrible realization dawned on him that perhaps the daiyoukai had not been using all his power this whole time.

With a single leap the daiyoukai landed on the bottom of the well.

"Bastard! Come back here!"

Inuyasha waited for the well's magic to take on. It never happened. The hanyou peered from the mouth of the well when he heard a sizzle from the bottom of the well.

"Will ya stop that!" Tetsusaiga unavailable, Inuyasha threw a big chunk of rock to distract him from destroying Kagome's only means to return.

The daiyoukai held his sword against the attack, but did not seem to otherwise acknowledge Inuyasha. His eyes were trained toward an empty spot in the well, and Inuyasha did not take the slight very well.

"What did you do to Kagome?" Inuyasha demanded tightly, his voice broken with anger and despair. He desperately kept a tight reign on his emotion and his consciousness, his youkai blood fighting against his control.

The name seemed to pull the daiyoukai out of his reverie. "She is alive." He said slowly, the echo of the well distorting his voice. "Where is she?"

"Answer me first, bastard!" Inuyasha shouted.

Again Sesshomaru ignored his brother's question and glared at the empty spot behind him, as if it had done him some injustice.

"You won't find her"

Sesshomaru jumped out of the well.

"You know something." Sesshomaru growled low, and Inuyasha mercilessly charged at him with his claws, unleashing his fury.

"What—Did—You—Do—To—Kagome!" Inuyasha barked between the hits.

As it was, Sesshomaru was not the most patient of youkai. The drug in his system may have somewhat worn off, but his beast was still dangerously close to the surface, and he was not in the mood to entertain his brother. He was about to end the fight when Inuyasha lost control of his beast.

Tossing away Tetsusaiga had been an unwise move.

Inuyasha transformed with a loud howl, bitter, sobbing howl that made a strange noise on the beast. The hanyou's overflowing emotion manifested themselves into erratically charged attacks that even Sesshomaru had to exert some effort to parry them. The worthless half-breed _was_ the son of the great Inu no Taishou, Sesshomaru conceded with some disdain.

The fight however did not last long. It was malapropos to begin with; the hanyou was too broken to last, and the daiyoukai too waned to put up a good fight. The fight found its end at the younger sibling's collapse at his brother's feet, bloodied and damaged. Said brother but have to move the tip of bakusaiga to kill his fallen hanyou sibling.

But today was not the day for the half-breed, thought the lord as he sheathed his sword. He took something away from the hanyou. Unwanted thing it may be, but the hanyou shall have his life for what he had lost.

The daiyoukai regained his mind, and along with it, much regret. He sliced the tree where Tetsusaiga was embedded in and using the edge of his sword, smoothly tossed the rusty sword toward his half-brother.

Now that he'd set one problem aside, he was faced with an even more problematic situation that even he would shudder at.

He had just mated a human.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

[The Future - Sunset Shrine]

"Bye Souta! Bye mom!"

Kagome hoisted her hefty yellow backpack with a little umpf, and internally prepared herself for her time-travel. The sun glared down and the heat was beginning to ire the time traveling miko. She entered the well house and slumped in to the well, praying that 500 hundred years ago the sun was more forgiving.

What greeted her as she climbed out the well was the same harsh sun and summer cicada mating class. Her t-shirt clung to her with sweat, her backpack felt twice as heavy. In her weariness, she did not notice that the shadowy figure looming on her was not Inuyasha. In fact, it was a figure she wasn't sure she should be seeing.

"Sesshomaru!"

The daiyoukai did not react to her address. Instead he seemed to have been watching her silently. Kagome waited for any sort of response as the cicadas noise scraped louder in the silence.

Kagome had so many things that she wanted to ask, but her mind was strangely blank, the questions eluding her. Suddenly she remembered the tattoo.

"Do you know what this tattoo means?"

If the daiyoukai heard her question, he certainly did not show it, although he did approach her. He took every step slowly, gradually his eyes distorting, redder and redder until his iris disappeared into the glaring redness altogether.

Kagome tried to move her feet but it might as well be planted to the ground. Her bag sagged heavier on her shoulders, almost like it was an anchor that prevented her from her escape.

The monster that was Sesshomaru bared its fang, longer than Kagome ever remembered seeing, and his face approached her, closer and closer, his fanged mouth mouthing a word that seemed to elude her in her fear. Karaoke? Hakone? Chardonnay? All the while the buzzing of the cicada seemed to get louder and louder.

"Kagome!"

Kagome jolted awake to the ringing of her alarm clock and to a fuzzy brown-black on her face that revealed to be Buyo's tri-colored butt. She was sweating allover.

"So _you're_ the culprit." Kagome one-sidedly accused the overfed cat lounging on her tummy.

Buyo yawned in response.

"Kagome!" Her mother called from the kitchen "Your alarm clock has been ringing for some time!"

As if right on cue, her alarm started again. Kagome annoyedly slapped it off.

"What a bad dream…" Kagome mumbled to herself, blinking away the tear she didn't realize she had shed during her nightmare.

The 18 years old girl can't help but shudder at her dream. The event few days ago was still fresh in her mind, invoking terror everytime she recalled the incident. She had gotten too comfortable around Sesshomaru. The daiyoukai had been tolerating them lately and had even joined forces at times. But the fact remained that he was a dangerous entity that even Naraku was wary off. She would do well not to drop her guards around him.

Her minds gathered, Kagome refreshed herself and headed downstairs. Midway, Kagome could hear muffled conversations coming from the kitchen.

"Mom? Are you with someone?"

The sight of familiar red haori was the dead give-away.

"Inuyasha! What happened to you?" Kagome rushed to her boyfriend's side, alarmed to see her him battered and bruised. Someone seemed to have helped him with first aid, presumably Kaede, but the miko could tell that he had been badly injured.

"Keh. It's nothing." He brushed off, gazing at Kagome oddly. Kagome wasn't sure if he was even looking at her.

"Is everything okay?" Kagome blurted.

Inuyasha was about to say something but stopped himself when Kagome began to fuss over his injuries. His mind made up, Inuyasha approached the time traveling miko and brusquely grabbed her shoulders.

"Stay here. As long as you can. Don't come back until I fetch you, hear me?"

"Inuyasha. What's wrong?"

"Promise me you'll stay put" The inu hanyou searched the face that looked so much like Kikyou's, hoping that she had been listening. "I'll fix this."

"I promise, but fix what?" The hanyou gauged her, and whatever he had found on her was enough of a promise.

When he didn't reply, worry crept in.

"Inuyasha! Fix what?"

His troubled gaze confused her.

"Just wait." he said, and then he left.

—

[500 Years ago - Western Castle]

[Emergency Council Meeting]

The Western Castle was an impenetrable fortress, built and hidden under layers of ancient spells by void daiyoukais 500 years prior to the Sengoku Jidai. It spoke the legacy of one inuyoukai who was given the title the Great Dog General. Touga commanded fears upon his opponents, and rightfully so, for Touga was bequeathed by the heavens power that far surpass any living creatures; under his hands were the power of destruction, life, and death. Using these great powers, the late Inu General had unified lords of the Western province of Japan under his rule. Some of these daiyoukai lords had pledged their allegiance, and thus they became what is known in the feudal era as the Western councils.

But the perfect was not infallible, not even the Great Inu General. A great scandal struct, and although his great power kept his rule together, many wanted him dead. Not the least of which his long time enemy Shishinki and Ryukotsusei. His life ended tragically short for one so powerful. His love for a human had become his demise, and the council vowed that it will not be repeated again. When Inukimi did not make the decision, the council in accordance ousted the human princess and her hanyou child from the Western Castle.

The council had lived long enough to have seen things come in full circle, and it was not farfetched to imagine that apple does not fall too far from the tree. But Inu no Taishou's only heir was nothing like his father, and his attitude toward human far from kind. So assured were the council, that the news that their lord had mated a human was nothing short of a shock.

To add to their despair, who to bring the news but the very hanyou they had so despised?

Said hanyou was currently waving the long missing sword of Destruction, looking every bit like the charismatic Dog General coming back to live that the council elders couldn't help but be stunned.

It was early in the morning when the hanyou had broken into the Western Castle, bashing gates and yelling his brother's name. His striking resemblance to his father discomfited the guards, and his blood ties allowed him easy entry to the barrier.

The hanyou found Sesshomaru in the midst of a hastily assembled council meeting regarding his newly mated state. The daiyoukai was just short of driving the council mad, being maddeningly silent on said topic. The hanyou hacked the door with little finesse, effectively ending the ineffective emergency meeting.

Blows were traded and insults were thrown in the courtyard, and the council stood witness to it all. At first it was the hanyou's resemblance to their late master, but sparingly the hanyou let out of bits of information that were too important to be ignored.

"You don't like humans" The hanyou taunted.

"No." Sesshomaru agreed, deflecting the hanyou's attack with a tilt of his sword.

"Then—" Inuyasha leapt "—WHY!" he dived his sword straight against tokijin.

The council witnessed the fight, mind reeling as they pieced the information the hanyou had unwittingly disclosed. The conclusion was surprising if not disturbing. The only heir of Inu no Taishou had just mated a human. The hanyou's human, if the hanyou's justified anger was any indication. Where the father had had a human _lover_ , the son brought the scandal into altogether different level by _mating_ the human. Sharing lifespan. Knotting bond. Even the great Touga-sama was not that controversial. The council murmured between themselves as the end of the West seemed to be imminent.

"Take your claim back!"

"Do you want her dead, halfbreed?"

The question brought the hanyou to a halt.

"You can bring her back to life" Inuyasha stated.

"And the mark will stand." He had consulted Bokusenou on reversing the mating, and the tree youkai ruthlessly dashed his hope.

Inuyasha felt like a rug had been suddenly pulled under his feet, his promise to Kagome suddenly seemed very distant.

"Why did you do it? You hate humans" The hanyou gritted slowly.

Sesshomaru flew his gaze toward where his mother and the council stood, his eyes pinning them with disgust.

"What?" Inuyasha turned.

"Us? Whatever do you mean?" Inukimi asked, her arched brows the only indication of her surprise.

"The bitch you have sent, what was your intention?"

Understanding dawned on Inukimi, and Souzei had the grace to look sheepish.

"You were too slow, son. We thought a little encouragement is what you need."

Sesshomaru's pointed glare hid little of what he thought of their 'little encouragement'.

"That bitch is your mother?" Inuyasha bewilderedly asked, only now realizing their facial resemblance.

"But who would have thought that under a bit of influence you would mate the first human you see?"

The hanyou flew his gaze back and forth between his half brother and the council as understanding dawned on him, "Wait, you guys _drugged_ him? Are you freakin mad, lady?"

Now it was Sesshomaru's turned to look ashamed but he quickly hid it behind his icy mask, the council wondered if they had seen it at all.

"You truly are your father's son" Inukimi amusedly voiced.

"The human miko that travels with the half breed, the shikon no miko" the demoness mused. "Not a terrible choice"

"The Shikon no Miko?"

There were low murmurs among them.

"The one who came from the land of the Gods and defeated Naraku?"

Inuyasha had heard some variations of their battle with Naraku, and could not be bothered to keep track. Apparently the rumor had gotten out of hands. _Land of the Gods? Suppose the future ain't less outrageous._

"The very one." Inukimi assented.

"Keh. _We_ defeated Naraku! I was there, bastard was there too"

Sesshomaru stood still, not liking where the conversation was headed.

"If it's the Shikon no Miko…"

"They will produce powerful pups, but they will be hanyou" Elder Seishi of the Snake tribe interjected.

"A hanyou will be a hanyou" Elder Souzei agreed.

"Oy!" the hanyou in the room complained.

"Imagine the combination of their reiki and youki. Imagine what kind of power it will hold." Elder Suijin diplomatically campaigned. If his daughter Miyako was not to be the Lady of the West, he would rather the position did not fall to anyone within the council. Many of the council members were in the same mindset.

"My daughter Sayuri would have been a better match" Elder Souzei spat.

"What is the point of discussing their children? The shikon no miko is already the Lady of the West. Surely you are not considering treason?"

Never in his long life had Sesshomaru considered that the council would ever agree to having a human Lady of the West and consequently, to having hanyou as an heir. The miko _was_ powerful, although untrained. Perhaps if he were to make the miko his…

Sesshomaru was immediately aghast; perhaps having mated a human the notion of a hanyou heir should be immediately apparent, but the miko went missing and he had been so actively rejecting the mating, that the thought of an heir never crossed his mind. He was horrified, repulsed even, that he had entertained such idle thought, discarding the thought at once.

He must kill the miko.

"The heir could be more powerful than a daiyoukai if he was blessed with the power of the shikon jewel"

He must find the miko and kill her.

Elder Itoku shuddered "yes, the lowly youkai that had attacked my daughter only had 3 shards and already it matched the power of a daiyoukai"

But what if?

"Oy geezer! Stop talking about the heir! Kagome is mine!"

"Please refrain putting claim on the Lady of the West"

First, he must find the miko. For that, he would need help.

"Half breed. If you want to reverse the mating, we must find the miko"

Hook, line, sinker.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

[Sengoku Jidai - Goshinboku Well]

Rin was once again miles above the ground, a sensation she had missed ever since she lived with Kaede-baba. She saw a few familiar places pass by below her, noting they were heading toward her village. It was a strange thing, to know her way like a bird does, hardly useful when one was not flying.

"A bear!" Rin peered dangerously close to Ah-Un's wing, surprising the toad next to her.

"Stupid child, don't let go of your hold!"

Under Jaken's mothering glare, Rin petulantly corrected her hold on Ah Aun's saddle. She was getting bored of watching the landscape, and none of them would talk.

Rin was used to chattering one-sidedly because lord Sesshomaru was quieter than most, and Kohaku was only a little better, but one-sided talk do tend to be less rewarding after a few hours, even if Lord Sesshomaru always listen.

Usually when Rin tired out, Jaken would regal her with stories of Sesshomaru-sama and his battles. Today, the kappa was quiet, if not a little greener. Rin thought that additional company would be good for her lord, but it seemed that she was wrong.

"Oy, do you really know how to erase the mating?"

Inuyasha sat crossed-legged behind Rin, his red haori flapping, his silver hair strewn about his face. Rin giggled at the sight.

Her Lord hovered on his youki in front of Ah Aun, his delicate eyebrows knitted minutely, his form deadly still. Sesshomaru-sama was normally quiet, but Rin could see as clearly as day that her protector was deeply troubled.

"Hn" Her lord hummed noncommittally. His answer was lost to the rasping wind, but not to youkai hearing.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes when the daiyoukai didn't deign a reply, muttering words like "bastard" and something else Rin's human ear couldn't hear.

Jaken let the insult pass by, which, judging by Inuyasha's frown, was unexpected. The silence stretched to seconds, and seconds to minutes. Rin almost nodded off to sleep when Inuyasha broke the silence.

"Why is the crazy lady coming with us?" Inuyasha rudely pointed his finger.

"You will call me _Lady_ Inukimi, pup"

Sesshomaru gazed at nowhere in particular.

Rin had been told that her lord was very hard to read. Rin would agree that her guardian liked to hide his emotion, but he was not emotionless. They were looking at all the wrong things; Lord Sesshomaru's eyes tells a lot about his feelings. Right now, Lord Sesshomaru was anxious.

"It's only right for me to want to meet my daughter-in-law. She is to inherit my throne after all." Inukimi was lounging on her youki cloud next to Ah-Un, her cloud wispier in texture than Sesshomaru's.

"Don't get overexcited bitch. The bastard said he could undo it."

"And kappas could fly" Inukimi drawled, magnanimously letting the insult pass, all the while her eyes were pinned on her son, watching him like a hawk.

"Wha-"

"We have arrived" Sesshomaru announced uncharacteristically, and his mother noted his avoidance to discuss the mating.

Ah-Un smoothly landed on a clearing and a deserted well Rin had come to know so well.

Inukimi watched with thinly veiled excitement as the hanyou plunged into the well, followed by a quick burst of light that left her skin tingling. Even centuries old daiyoukai like her could not grasp just how powerful the magic was. Inukimi glanced at her son, wondering he knew of the well's power, but Sesshomaru almost looked as if he's…. bitter? In curiosity, Inukimi jumped in after Inuyasha, only to be disappointed when the well did not let her pass.

"Her home is on the other side of this well?"

"Yes!" Rin chirped "Kagome-sama brings Rin lots of crayons from her home"

Inukimi had heard the odd term often from the human child, and was surprised to see it referring to a wax-like paint. Inukimi's first impulse was to deduce the miko's origin, but ended in a wild-goose chase. The term crayon originates from nowhere, and the miko's garb was nothing she had ever seen throughout her long life. Curious.

"Jaken, why don't you walk Rin back to her village" Inukimi graciously waved her hands in a dismissal.

Jaken scampered, tucked Rin along, and swiftly seated the girl on Ah-Un while she was busy waving her goodbyes.

The older Inuyoukai eyed her son, her cunning smile pasted on her face like a mask.

"Son"

Sesshomaru stiffened.

"Are you planning to rid of your mate?"

Sesshomaru frowned. As always, his mother read him like an open book, despite all his effort to conceal all his emotions.

"If I am?" he growled, part in frustration at being read so easily, and partly daring his mother to challenge him.

"I am not here to stop you" Inukimi waved her hands "But the beast chose her for a reason"

"Then I see no point of you being here, mother"

"Have I no right to see my daughter-in-law?"

Sesshomaru did not dignify the question with an answer.

And they both waited with patience befitting of their long lives.

—

[Present Time - Well House]

Kagome peered into the well, mind made up.

It had been 2 days since Kagome last saw Inuyasha. The hanyou had asked her to stay, but clearly he was attacked. What if anything happened to him?

She was not the same as when she first came to Sengoku Jidai, she told herself; she won't sit around waiting when Inuyasha could be in danger.

Just when she had finally decided to climb into the well, a gust of wind propelled her out, and light burst under her.

"Kyaa!" Kagome unceremoniously landed on her bottom.

Quickly Kagome tried to regain her footing, not entirely sure what to expect out of the well.

When she saw two doggy ears and a mass of silver hairs, she launched herself to hug her hanyou, momentarily forgetting her pained behind. "Inuyasha!"

Kagome broke her hug to surreptitiously examine the hanyou for any signs of wounds or fight.

Inuyasha awkwardly pat her back, his nose twitching in discomfort.

"What happened?"

Kagome was not sure she liked the pained look the hanyou gave her.

"Let's sit down first" Inuyasha resignedly waved the general area of her porch.

—

It was when they were seated comfortably that Inuyasha broke the (bad) news.

"MATED?"

The hanyou's ear rang, but he could not fault her surprise.

"MATED?"

"I got you the first time, Kagome"

Kagome grabbed her neck on instinct where the mark laid.

"But he and I didn't—" the miko blushed "I mean, he tried but—"

"That bastard was drugged" Inuyasha cut her off before she embarrassed herself further. "Look—I don't know how to explain this right, but mating is kinda like bonding your spirit together. It has nothing to do with whether you've —"

"Wait, STOP" Kagome held up her hand. "I have so many questions to that sentence I don't even know where to begin"

Inuyasha sighed. "We don't have a lot of time. They're waiting."

"Who's waiting?"

"The bastard and his mother. So listen carefully, cos I'm not gonna repeat myself. When an inuyoukai mates…"

—-

[Sengoku Jidai - The Well]

Seconds before the burst of light, Sesshomaru already felt the well's power pressing down on him, signaling the return of his hanyou brother and the miko. Immediately he realized it was the well's power that had drawn him to the miko in his drug induced rage.

As the power dissipated, Sesshomaru felt a steady pulse awaken. Sure, it was there the whole time—the barely felt pulse at the back of his mind which signified the miko was alive, even after she had vanished into the well—but now the tug was stronger, harder to ignore, a despicable reminder of the fact that he had bonded with a mere human mortal.

The hanyou was first to jump out of the well, and then he proceeded to helped the miko. Even from afar the daiyoukai could almost taste her fear, her eyes shifting, first toward his mother, and lastly, at him.

The mistake stared back at him squarely, and Sesshomaru bit back his disgust.

"Are you not going to introduce us, son?"

Sesshomaru made no move to introduce them, and Kagome rudely stared at the female daiyoukai so similar to Sesshomaru in amazement. _Must be his mother._

Inukimi ignored her direct eyecontact as perceived challenge, because she was so—she sniffed once again—so very "You are.. human"

Kagome was affronted, but the inu-hanyou beat her to it.

"Ofcourse she's human!"

"Hn. I should not have put much purchase to such gossip."

"What gossip?"

"That you are one of the Gods"

"I'm not" Kagome answered, non-plussed.

"Hn" Inukimi sniffed, and Kagome was enlightened just where Sesshomaru had learned to express himself so disdainfully with a non-word.

Meanwhile Sesshomaru felt prickles in his claws, as if a simple surprise could jolt him to a murder spree. Perhaps it was the side effect of the drug, or some unknown result of mating he was not aware of. Even more likely, he deduced, it was probably the accumulated desire to kill his accidental mate.

"Oy, bastard, what's the big plan?"

The daiyoukai gritted his fangs at the slight, but kept his eyes trained on the miko.

"This Sesshoumaru will bring the miko to Utomura."

"Utomura?!" Inuyasha balked out.

"There lives an oracle, an _itako_ , going by the name Chiha. She might be the key."

Kagome wished she could bring a map and have the daiyoukai point out exactly where this Utomura was, but she was too afraid to ask, and judging by Inuyasha's reaction, it seemed to be somewhere faraway.

"Ne, Inuyasha" The miko whispered as she tugged on the hanyou's fire rat haori, "Where is this Utomura?"

Clearly, whispering was useless considering that she was the only human in the immediate vicinity. Inukimi's raised eyebrow indicated this thought as she answered her question.

"It is within the territory of the Eastern panther clan and borders to the clans of the North"

Kagome was reminded of blue haired daiyoukai siblings with intense hatred toward dog demons. "Is their leader's name Toran?"

"You have met her?" the older daiyoukai asked, her surprise apparent.

"We battled their revived king." Inuyasha answered "along with this bastard" he added as an afterthought.

"So you had some help" the older demoness smiled sweetly. Kagome had a strange feeling they were not supposed to reveal that fact. Sesshomaru twitched as his mother's smile turned feral.

"Hn"

 _This family is impossible,_ Kagome tiredly thought.

But then they probably had very little opinion of what a human like Kagome might think.

As if to support that thought, a decision was then made for her.

"Miko, we are going now."

Kagome's first impulse was to complain, but she was reminded of Sesshomaru's beast, and blurted out a nervous "What?"

"Wait! You're taking me too" Inuyasha shouted, and went to grab Kagome's wrist. "I don't trust this bastard"

Kagome grimaced. A far away journey to the East, with 2 brothers constantly bickering, trying to kill each other. _Great. Just Great._

Sesshomaru ignored the hanyou and continued on walking as if he had just not made a one-sided decision. _Jerk._ Kagome hurriedly ran after him. Inuyasha cursed colorfully, and trailed after the miko and his brother.

A short while later Sesshomaru quickened his pace, probably because the dog deemed their walking speed to be inefficient. Kagome deftly climbed Inuyasha's back for a little speed upgrade, all the while heatedly grumbled about inconsiderate dogs and their chauvinistic tendencies.

She was halfway into her rant when suddenly Inuyasha jerked to a stop.

"What's the bastard doing?"

Kagome squinted.

"Huh? Strange. He's coming back here"

Stranger still, the closer the daiyoukai got, the more pissed he seemed.

"Inuyasha, what did you do?" Kagome warily asked. Even if she did expect the siblings to fight, she did not expect the fight to begin this early.

"Nothing!" Inuyasha seemed genuinely confused. _But then, he is hardly the brightest bulb in the box when it came to emotion,_ Kagome thought uncharitably.

Without warning, the daiyoukai rudely jerked her kimono from behind, nearly gagging her in the process.

"Oy! What the hell?"

The blue eyed woman's vision swam, and when she opened her eyes again, she could see nothing but a bunch of fluff in front of her. She spat some wayward fur that got into her mouth as she tried to regain her bearing. The way the ground moved below her made her dizzy, and the hakama told the miko that she was no longer being carried by Inuyasha. She was not used to being carried like a sack of potatoes, and in her defense, who was? But Kagome could not find her voice, and the fluff kept on getting in her ways.

The priestess could hear the hanyou shouting profanities, and suddenly, she could envision what await them for the rest of their long journey to Utomura. Her ride was bumpy, and her blood was pooling in her head in no way that could be healthy. Kagome decided to save herself some headache and put herself to sleep. Hopefully all the way to Utomura if she's lucky.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

[Sengoku Jidai]

Kagome was rudely awakened when her face suddenly met the ground with some extra force, all thanks to gravity.

"OUCH! What—"

If being so carelessly thrown like a rag doll was degrading, Sesshomaru's scathing glare when he'd seen her drool on his pelt was positively humiliating.

"Well, you _hung_ my head upside down" Kagome muttered, while rubbing her sore face.

The daiyoukai looked at her, but did otherwise heed her. Even without showing any emotions, he'd somehow projected disdain and superiority. How he could do that without facial expression was beyond Kagome.

Kagome surveyed the sceneries around her and saw no signs of Inuyasha. Just trees, greeneries, and mountains.

"We are near Kyoto" the quiet daiyoukai answered her unspoken question.

The brunette did a quick calculation on top of her head and checked her watch under her kimono sleeve. They'd departed at noon, and arrived at 9 hours later. Considering the distance covered, it was as if they were traveling by car in the modern world. _How efficient_. Considering the speed difference, then Inuyasha must be trying to catch up the distance.

Feeling uncomfortable with the silence, Kagome began her camping routine in the sengoku jidai by first looking for firewood. The daiyoukai proceeded to sit by a tree a stone's throw away from her makeshift campfire, his posture straight even as his eyes closed. Occassionally, curiosity would betray his indifference whenever he opened his golden eyes, such as when Kagome ripped open her ramen packaging, or when she lighted the firewood.

"W-would you like some?" Kagome asked nervously, when their eyes accidentally met.

Every time she saw Sesshomaru, she couldn't help imagining the red eyed daiyoukai who had nearly raped her, even as she tried to remind herself that the daiyoukai's action was influenced by the drug administered by his own mother. _Talk about messed up._

The miko did not expect the daiyoukai to take up on her offer—she wasn't even sure if daiyoukais eat ramen—but the silver haired daiyoukai quietly stood from his position and walked over to her.

"Uh—hold on, let me get you some bowl" Kagome made a move to grab her yellow backpack, but in a blink of an eye, the daiyoukai was in front of her, his claws uncomfortably near her face.

"Se-Sesshomaru?"

His golden eyes minutely glowered, as fighting some unknown force, his claws closed in, paper-thin away from her face. Kagome was mutedly rooted on her spot, even as her instinct was to scream for Inuyasha and run away. _What are you doing, Kagome?_ Any closer and the claws would be drawing blood.

A sizzle drew her attention, and she realized that the fingers near her face began to drip poison, splattered down to the space between her feet. Neither the claws nor the poison touched her, although the smallest movement would make a different story The daiyoukai did not move his claws away from her face, and Kagome felt as if time had stopped before the daiyoukai finally retracted his claws and sat back down as if nothing had happened.

Kagome suddenly lost her appetite for dinner and anxiously prayed to any gods out there that Inuyasha would not take too long to catch up.

—-

Inuyasha arrived come morning, heaving, dirts sticking out at odd angles from his hair.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried.

Even with his disheveled appearance, the hanyou nearly made her weep in relief. Kagome was tired, sleepy, and well near hysteria. After what happened last night, she could barely sleep and had to keep her guard up the whole time, all the while knowing that if the silver haired daiyoukai really had wanted to kill her, it would matter little whether she was asleep or awake. The knowledge did not help her paranioa one bit.

The sight of the familiar red haori comforted her. Kagome ran toward her savior, fully prepared for a bone crushing hug. Instead, a crack reverberated the air, and in a blur of red and green, Inuyasha bashed to a nearby tree.

"What gives, bastard!"

Kagome snapped her head so fast, her neck could barely stand the whiplash. There Sesshomaru stood proudly, poison dripping from his claw, his eyebrows knitted minutely. If she did not see the incriminating evidence on his hands, she would have thought he looked stunned.

Inuyasha righted himself and drew Tessaiga, his battlecry signaling incoming retaliation.

Normally Kagome would have tried to stop him, but Sesshomaru started this one, and Kagome felt no murder intent from both youkais. If there is one thing that sengoku jidai had thought her, it was that male youkais were prone to testosterone display of strength, and that it was best to stay out of the way.

Resigned to her fate, Kagome began packing her back.

—-

Kyoto during Sengoku jidai was a destroyed city, being the center stage of a long drawn war of succession for shogunate between human shogun official Katsumoto and clan leader Sozen. What had begun as a familial dispute quickly escalated into a nation-wide war, giving birth to the chaotic Sengoku era.

Although the war hardly affected the more powerful youkais such as Sesshomaru, lower birth youkais were often maneuvered as weapons by omyojis, employed civil servants who specialize in magic and divination. In other words, humans with tolerable amount of reiki. Human bandits and outlaws were also rampant in the area.

This was why, despite Sesshomaru's powerful presence, the unusual group found themselves being attacked by mindless lower level youkais, which was a blessing in disguise in Kagome's opinion, as it disturbed the brothers' unneeded sparring match. Even better, it was perfectly timed for their breakfast.

The youkais were hardly a challenge against a group who had obliterated Naraku, and in a matter of seconds, Kagome was supplied with freshly cut bird youkai meat and a couple of plundered gold coins along the way. The college student hummed as she cooked, the smell of roasted meat wafting the air.

Inuyasha sat licking his wound, his eyes following his half-brother vigilantly.

Sesshomaru meanwhile was deep in thought, internally cursing the situation of his own making. He couldn't kill the miko. He didn't even want to, as he begun to find out last night, even as he tried to push beyond the bond's tipping point. And oh, how he tried. He was so close to touching her, _so close_ , and he could not even draw a drop of blood.

He had heard stories of youkais who murdered their significant others in war of successions, and killing a mate is not an impossible feat. Forced mating, after all, was common, almost as common as political marriages. Some mating bond were never even consummated to prevent a closer connection.

What the daiyoukai did not count on was his beast's interference. A youkai's life is build upon trusting its beast's instict, even for a daiyoukai. That was how they survive and how they are fundamentally different from humans. Going against its will, as he figured out, felt like his insides were being gutted and his mind torn into madness.

 _The beast chose her for a reason._

His mother's word echoed yet again, and realization washed over him cold as ice. He was doomed to mate the human.


End file.
